Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3144 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1802 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3144
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Natalie M. Blais
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act promoting solar energy canopies on large parking lots.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/18/2023Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/20/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/20/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex1/25/2023Aaron L. Saunders7th Hampden1/26/2023Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester2/27/2023 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1802 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3144
18	18	By Representative Blais of Deerfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3144) of
19	19	Natalie M. Blais and others for legislation to promote solar energy canopies on large parking
20	20	lots. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act promoting solar energy canopies on large parking lots.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 21A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
30	30	2section 28 the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 29. (a) The office, in coordination with the department of energy resources, shall
32	32	4establish a program to encourage the construction and operation of solar power generating
33	33	5canopies over large parking lots. The program shall be designed to contribute to the state's
34	34	6greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements and increase overall renewable energy
35	35	7generation, as well as provide shade and weather protection to both the vehicles under the
36	36	8canopies and people moving from their cars into the buildings served by the parking lot.
37	37	9 (b) The program shall include:
38	38	10 (i) incentives to encourage the construction and operation of solar power generating
39	39	11canopies and co-located energy storage facilities, which may include construction requirements,
40	40	12incentive payments, tax reductions or deferrals, expedited interconnection requirements, zoning 2 of 3
41	41	13or other regulatory preferences, which may include increasing the amount of the incentive
42	42	14through the state’s current or future solar incentive program for solar panels mounted on parking
43	43	15lot canopies; or other financial or regulatory incentives;
44	44	16 (ii) a definition of qualifying parking lots, which may be phased in over time;
45	45	17 (iii) minimum electric generation capacity requirements; and
46	46	18 (iv) such other criteria and conditions necessary for an efficient and effective solar power
47	47	19generating canopies over large commercial parking lots program that significantly increases the
48	48	20use of solar-generated power in the commonwealth.
49	49	21 (c) In designing the program, the department shall:
50	50	22 (i) consult with an advisory working group to make recommendations concerning the
51	51	23design and operation of the program. The members of the advisory working group shall be
52	52	24appointed by the secretary and shall include a representative of the division of energy resources,
53	53	25who shall chair the working group, and a representative of the commercial real estate industry; a
54	54	26representative of organized labor, a representative of the solar energy industry, a representative
55	55	27of an environmental group concerned with energy, a representative of the construction industry,
56	56	28a representative of an electric utility or organization representing electric utilities, a
57	57	29representative of local government, a person with expertise in energy siting, and a person with
58	58	30expertise in solar energy and energy efficiency; ;
59	59	31 (ii) review the design and operation of parking lot solar energy incentive programs
60	60	32proposed or in operation in other jurisdictions, including in the state of Washington, Hawaii,
61	61	33California, and France; and 3 of 3
62	62	34 (iii) hold not fewer than 3 public hearings in different regions of the commonwealth to
63	63	35receive public testimony and input on the program.
64	64	36 (d) The department shall promulgate regulations as necessary to implement the program.
65	65	37 (e) If statutory changes are necessary to implement the program, the department shall
66	66	38make specific recommendations to the general court for required changes in statutes.
67	67	39 SECTION 2. The advisory working group for the program to encourage the construction
68	68	40and operation of solar power generating canopies over large parking lots under section 29 of
69	69	41chapter 21A of the General Laws shall make its recommendations no later than 1 year after the
70	70	42effective date of this act. The department shall implement said section 29 of said chapter 21A no
71	71	43later than 2 years after the effective date of this act.